Silent Blades
by Juno1000
Summary: The Silent Brotherhood just experienced the loss of Sylvan, and has begun the process of finding a replacement. At the same time a young girl's kingdom has fallen to the Fomor Menace. A re-imagining of Lynn's backstory that starts in Rocheste and a few other events before the death of Wenshardt.
1. Chapter 1

Smoke swirled around the room. The woman moved her hands along the shattered skulls of creatures.

"Once eight, now we are seven. The silent blades are weak."

"We cannot just simply gather a new blade."

"They must be Strong."

"They must be Wise."

"They must be Young."

A silence fell upon the room.

"We must welcome a new generation into the Silent Blades. If we do not then we shall succumb to age."

"We stay the course, and do whatever it takes to keep the oracle safe."

"We are to protect a goddess?"

"We are to protect the idea, that there is a goddess."

Chapter 1: The Young

"LAND HO!" the sailor in the crow's nest called out, the rest of the crew filled with so much joy they began to cheer and throw hats upon the deck. It had been a long journey, but it was now complete. A young girl looked upon the crew unsure if she was allowed to celebrate or if she would be punished for doing so. The captain put his large hand on her tiny shoulder.

"Look there Little Dragonfly. That land is called Rocheste, a place of opportunity." The captain leaned down and spoke directly into her ear. "Do not waste the opportunity to live a better life." The girl stood still even after the captain left. She looked down at her hands, caked in dried blood and dirt. She went over to a basin where brown water from rain had been used to clean not only the deck but the bodies of the crew as well, and she dipped her hands inside, attempting to clean it.

She looked at her hands, still dirty but now dripping with water. Determined she spoke to herself "these hands, shall hold a better life."

A crew member called to her: "Little Dragonfly! Stop talking to yourself and help man the crow's nest!" The girl nodded and rushed to climb the ropes where two other men stood in the cramped area above the ship. Barely tall enough to see above the railing she looked out to the large towers, the large fortress, the many soldiers, and the port larger than any city she had seen.

As they approached the port one of the men in the crow's nest kneeled down to her. "Little Dragonfly, do you want to see?" She nodded with excitement and the man lifted her upon his shoulders and together they waved at the men and women that were walking near the port, a few waved back, but most kept moving on. The ecstasy could not be quelled by those that ignored them. The boat touched the port and was quickly anchored by those in the port. Everyone was told to stay in the boat while the captain talked to those on land. The wait was agonizing, and Little Dragonfly could not contain herself. She was placed down by the one who was carrying her and she swiftly went back down the ropes. She almost danced along the deck until she reached the captain, who she then hid behind after seeing those the captain was talking to.

"We will allow passage to those that we can, half of your crew must go back." the man showed no emotion past full-plate armor with two swords on his belt and five more behind him.

"That is a death sentence to us!"

"That isn't my problem! I follow the rules, you are an unscheduled boat from a port our city has no alliance with. You're very lucky we didn't sink your vessel on your way here!"

"I beg you, we have nowhere else to go, the Fomors took our home and-" The captain turned around to the girl known as Little Dragonfly. "At least, look with what mercy you have, and take Little Dragonfly first."

The guard looked at the terrified little girl hiding behind the salt-crusted captain. "You have my word as a knight of Rocheste that I will see this girl is taken care of-"

"Good! GOOD CARE!" The captain was almost confrontational.

The guard was silent for a moment, "She will be in the best hands that will take her. That is all i can promise." The guard pointed to the girl and two of the knights approached her. The captained turned and held her hand tight, so she could not run like she was about to attempt and handed her off to the guards. The girl cried as she was separated from the captain and the crew, but they waved to her, trying to comfort her as she was taken away from the port and into the city.

"Noisy little brat isn't she?"

"Get some rope, we'll shut her up."

Little Dragonfly had a rope put into her mouth which was tied tightly around her head. The only sounds she could make were whimpers of discontent. As she was brought through town she began to walk alongside the guards and she calmed down, however the gag was not removed. Passerbys harassed the guards for taking such a young child prisoner, until the moment that she was brought to a mighty citadel.

The citadel looked entirely of marble, all of the windows stained glass of figures Little Dragonfly did not recognize. However one grand statue almost as large as the citadel itself was something she did recognize. The goddess, a woman of peerless beauty and grace with the wings of an angel, forever pure. The gag was taken off Little Dragonfly.

"Stay quiet little girl, this is a holy place." The guard almost scolded her as they lead her past the statue. Through halls and holy rooms the little girl stayed in line and made less sound than the rats that cautiously travelled the halls.

Little Dragonfly was brought to a man whose look was stern, as if he had not smiled for fifty years. "What is a child doing in the pontiff's court?" The man spoke as if he had better things to do, and he most likely did.

"Sir! This girl was on a boat from the eastern kingdom. Refugees."

"So the eastern kingdom finally lost their grasp to the Fomors. Little girl, what is your name?"

The girl stayed silent, and looked unsure, as if she was being tested. "You may speak." the man said in frustration.

"Little Dragonfly" the girl spoke with the sound of dust in her mouth.

The man looked more serious than he once did. "Little Dragonfly? Who were your parents?" The girl tensed up and tried to take a step backwards but was stopped by a guard. "Was your father the Wolf of the East?" The girl's expression made it obvious and the man laughed in an unsettling way. "You … Idiots! You are in the presence of the Princess of the East! Not that it matters much i suppose, considering the circumstance. To think my guards gagged a princess. You have my orders to let the rest of the crew into the city."

"But sir we don't have-"

"Then make room for them, i don't care how. Execute some criminals and put them in the cells!" The guards saluted and marched off.

The man who looks like he had not smiled in fifty years kneeled down. "Little dragonfly, what do you wish to do now that you are here?"

The girl stood straight up and held out her hands as if begging. "I wish to hold opportunity with these hands. Caked in blood, dirt and salt i wish to hold it still." There was a heavy silence but Little Dragonfly did not once move from her steadfast position. They stayed there for what seemed like hours before the man finally responded.

"Opportunity … that's it?" Little Dragonfly nodded, still holding her hands out. The man sighed, "Follow me." Little Dragonfly stayed close behind, paying attention to her surroundings as they walked back through the city. It was much larger than her hometown and she struggled to keep up with the directions they were travelling.

Eventually they stopped at an open-faced building and the man leaned down in front of Little Dragonfly, handing her a piece of paper. "Take this, and give it to Caryl, she will give you Opportunity." Little Dragonfly took the paper and pressed it against her chest to protect it. The man pointed towards the open-faced building and she ran over, almost getting trampled by a horse along the way, but making it in one piece. She turned to see if the man was still there, but the crowd was too large, she wouldn't be able to see him.

Taking a deep breath she walked into the building and stopping at the first person she saw she asked them: "Caryl?" She repeated this process countless times, asking everyone if they were Caryl until a chef walked out to the girl.

The Chef leaned down to be on eye level with Little Dragonfly. "I hear someone is looking for Caryl. Well you found her. What can i do for you little missy?" Little Dragonfly held out the piece of paper with a determined look. Caryl took it and began to read. "Little Dragonfly huh?" The two smiled at each other. "You're going to need a new name if you want opportunity here. Maybe you should try somewhere else instead of-"

"Give me a new name then!" Little Dragonfly shouted, the bar went silent for a moment. Little Dragonfly was not about to let this chance go.

"Alright! Alright! Just keep your voice down okay?" Caryl thought for some time, "Well let's get you cleaned up first before i decide on this, you're a piece of work you know that?" Caryl brought Little Dragonfly into a kitchen area where a large ogre was quietly filling beer mugs from a keg. "Krunk, man the kitchen for me for a bit, something came up." the Ogre just grunted in approval as they walked by. There was a small living area behind the kitchen, but this was walled in. Caryl went over to a barrel with clean water in it and used a ladle to get out a small portion. "Hold out your hands" Little dragonfly did as she was told. "By the Goddess, what happened to you? Your hands are bloody!"

"I helped on the ship." Little Dragonfly didn't say anything more as Caryl poured the water over her hands and then scrubbed them clean, re-opening a few cuts and scrapes along the way, which were then promptly bandaged.

Caryl looked at the hands of the child in front of her. "You really wanted to get here didn't you?" Little Dragonfly nodded. "All for an opportunity?" Little dragonfly nodded again. "Okay, i have a good name for you. From now on people are going to call you Li, is that okay?"

The girl looked at Caryl and only repeated "Li" and then smiled.

"Good, get ready Li i'm not going to give you an easy time, you have to earn your opportunity from me."

The girl who was once Little Dragonfly bowed on her hands and knees to caryl. "Thank you for your kindness."

Caryl picked Li up. "Alright then, this is your first task." Caryl grabbed a broom from a nearby closet and placed it in Li's hands. "Go make the Bar look nice, no dirt on the floor, okay?"

Li stood up at attention and bowed once more showing that she understood and she walked outside to the busy bar, broom in hand.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: First Fomor

"Watch it Li! Pay attention!" Caryl shouted before almost knocking her over. Li apologized and tried to work in another area of the bar, trying to push as much dirt out as she could. The broom was far too big for her and often times the only time one could tell where she was was by a floating broom handle being waved wildly in the air just above all the sitting patrons. However every time Li moved somewhere to clean, Caryl was soon there to serve food and drink to a patron. Li began adapting to this and tried to think of it as a game.

If Caryl caught you then you lost, so Li spent most of the night avoiding her new employer. After a few accidents still Li noticed that people were leaving and new ones were not coming in and she grew worried. Li sought Caryl out, broom in hand. She looked around where the customers sat, but could not find her. Then she wandered into the kitchen and saw her cooking. "Nobody is coming in."

Caryl looked down, almost jumping in surprise. "There you are, i was wondering where you went. It's almost closing time so we won't serve anyone else."

Li looked horrified, "But what if someone is hungry?"

"Then they can wait until tomorrow. Speaking of someone being hungry." Caryl put a plate of smoked trout under Li's nose. "How about you? Eat up Li."

Li put the broom down and held the plate looking at it somewhat disappointed. Caryl noticed this "I can cook you something else Li if-"

"No!" Li shouted a bit louder than she wanted to. "Thank you for your kindness!" Li ran off to an empty table and sat down to eat. She had eaten nothing but trout for months. Every so often the captain would let her have a bit of salmon but only if she worked very hard and he was in a good mood, but it still tasted like trout. After a deep breath Li began to eat, it tasted much better than she remembered and it reignited her interest in fish. Still though she couldn't help but feel a little sick of it. She ate every morsel on her plate, even the lettuce that was used as decoration and the lemon including the rind. Not a single thing went to waste as Li knew she should appreciate all gifts.

After eating what was given to her she returned the plate to the kitchen, but stopped before she could reach the sink. The large ogre from before was in the kitchen talking with Caryl and as soon as Li entered both Caryl and the ogre looked at her. Li had a look of suspicion as Caryl tried to diffuse the situation. "Now Li, this is Krunk. He works for me. He isn't good with words but he is very kind and won't hurt you or anyone else."

"Krunk happy to meet tiny." the Ogre spoke in broken words and smiled a grin with only three teeth.

Li's fears were not diffused as she took a step backwards away from Krunk. "Fomor" was all Li said in response. Krunk then took a step backwards, obviously hurt emotionally more than anything else. Caryl's eyes grew wide.

"Li! He is not a Fomor! How dare you!" Caryl took a deep breath. "Look, he's friendly! You hurt his feelings!" Caryl rubbed the bridge of her nose and took a deep sigh. "Riordan, you are such a … listen Li, you're going to have to accept working with Krunk."

Li stared silently at Caryl, then back to Krunk who was now sitting down and groaning. Li put her plate on a counter top and then ran out of the bar and across the street. She stopped shortly after and turned around, seeing Caryl was not there. Li walked down the road a short distance when a knight stopped her. "Little girl it's past curfew, you have to go home." Li stopped and then turned the other direction. "Hey! Did you hear me?" The knight grabbed her shoulder, and Li began to struggle. "Oh you're one of those little brats!"

With a kick Li quickly found that armor protects vulnerable areas, especially the one she was aiming for. Her will was not to be underestimated however. With her small finger she managed to reach into the helmet slat of the knight and hit another vulnerable point. The knight let go and moved his helmet "That was my eye! You are going to prison now you little bitch!" Li took the chance and ran as fast as she could, not sure which direction she was going she ducked through alleys and past the homeless. She rounded a corner and two knights, one with a torch pointed to her "That's the girl!" both began to approach and she cut in a different direction.

Caryl rolled around in her bed. Thinking maybe it wasn't a good idea to introduce her to Krunk, Li's home was just taken by Fomors, of course she would have been suspicious and upset. If she ever sees her again, she'd plan on apologizing. It took a while to stop Krunk from crying, but to get them to be friendly with each other might be another task now. Caryl rolled onto her other side, trying to find a comfortable spot. Then she heard the stomping of knights outside.

She decided to ignore it, it probably did not concern her anyway.

Li ran until she was out of breath, she had no idea where she was now and knights seemed to be cutting her off at every corner. She leaned against the corner of a stone building, unable to hide or run anymore. She could hear the knights around the corner, stomping towards her. She had to give up.

The knight came around the bend, grabbed her by the collar and dragged her off after throwing her to the ground to restrain her.


End file.
